Folding crate or box.



No. 760,517. PATENTBD MAY 24; 1904-; W. H. BEOKBTT.

FOLDING CRATE 0R BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 12. 1003.

N0 MODEL.

11 37 35 WZQZWZ /QZ60%ZZ' Wm a I ,Ly7zglor I 10y I UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

WVILLIAM H. BECKETT, OF DETOUR, MICHIGAN.

FOLDING CRATE OR BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,517, dated May 24, 1904. Application filed November 12, 1903. Serial No. 180,924:- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BEOKETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detour, in the county of Chippewa and State of Mich igan, have invented a new and useful Folding Crate or Box, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to folding shipping crates or boxes, and has for its object to produce a simply-constructed and easily-operated device 01 this character capable of being partially collapsed and holding the collapsed or nested receptacles or supports for the merchandise which has been shipped, whereby 5 the crate or box and the individual receptacles or supports contained therein may be returned to the shipper at reduced expense and occupying less space.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown and described, and specified in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, Figure 1 is a 5 perspective view of the crate or box expanded. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the crate or box collapsed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the device expanded. Fig. 1 is a transverse section of the device collapsed. 3 Fig. 5 represents portions of the different members, illustrating the manner of movably uniting them.

The device may be employed for shipping different kinds of merchandisesuch as fruit, vegetables, eggs, and the likebut is more particularly adapted for the shipment of eggs and similar products and for the purpose of illustration is shown thus applied.

The crate or box may be of any desired size 4 or capacity, but when employed for shipping eggs will be large enough generally to contain about thirty-six dozen; but the size may be varied to any desired extent and no limitation is therefore to be placed upon the invention in this respect. The lower stationary portion of the receptacle is composed of the bottom 10, ends 11 12, and sides 13 14. The upper edges of the end members extend above the upper edges of the side members a dis- 5 tance equal to twice the thickness of the material of which the device is constructed, the object to be hereinafter explained. The ends of the members 11, 12, 13, and 14 are provided with metal straps, which perform the twofold purpose of supporting means for the members, but also as means whereby the upper portion members are hinged to the lower portion members, and as the straps at each corner of the receptacle are precisely alike one set of reference characters are employed to denote duplicate parts for each set. The binding-straps on the end members are represented at 15 and the binding straps on the side members at 16, the straps 15 terminating at their upper ends in sockets 17 and 5 the straps 16 extending above the upper edges of side members, as at 18, the sockets and extended ends forming hinge members, as here inafter shown. The holding nails or screws by which the end and side members are united pass through the strap members 16, as will be obvious. Spaced sockets 35 36 are formed in the end straps 15, as shown, the object to be hereinafter explained. The connection between the members 11, 12, 13, and 1 1 is still further strengthened by corner-plates 19, and the lower ends of the straps 15 16 are extended beneath the lower parts of the structure for the same purpose, as shown.

The foldable portion of the structure comprises side members 20 21, forming extensions to the members 13 14, and end members 22 23, forming extensions to the end members 11 12, as shown. The extension members 20 21 are provided with end straps, one of which is rep 8 5 resented at 24 and having sockets 25 for pivotal engagement with the extended ends 18 of the straps 16 and the end extensions 22 23 having end straps, one of which is represented at 26 and having extended ends 27 for pivotal 9 engagement with sockets 17 of the straps 15. By this means it will be obvious the members 20 21 are foldable inwardly over the receptacle comprised between the lower side and end members and the members 22 23 foldable over the ends of the members 20 21, as shown.

As before noted, the end members 11 12 extend above the side members 13 14 equal to. two thicknesses of the material of which the device is constructed, and this elevation pro- I vides a recess into which the parts 21 and 22 23 are superimposed when folded, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4:. I

The cover is represented at 28 and is provided with cleats 29 30 at the ends depending past .the upper edges of the end extension members 22 23 when the device is expanded and over the upper edges of the end members 11 12 when the device is collapsed or folded, as shown, the cover being applicable to the device equally as well when collapsed as when expanded. Transverse channels 31 are formed at the ends of the cover in its upper surface and with bearing-staples 32 at the ends of the channels. Binding-rods 33 are supported for rotation bythe bearing-staples in the channels and formed of resilientmaterial, with bent ends terminating in hooks 34. for engagement in the upper sockets 35 when the device is ex- '1 and 2. The rods 33 are curved laterally between the bearing-st-aples 32 toward the bent ends or hooks 34:, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the hooks are retained in their sockets with considerable force, but yieldable to permit of their withdrawal when required. means the rods will be retained in position with sufficient force to prevent accidental displacement, but will yield to force when required. to be detached, the straightening of the rods 33 when in engagement with the channels 31 serving to force the hooked ends of the members 34 in an inward direction and into engagement with the sockets provided for the reception of said hooks. An automatic locking device is thus providedwhich has the advantages of not being liable to accidental displacement and which serves to connect the cover with the bottom members of the crate, thus securing the folding members in position whether expanded or collapsed, as the case may be. The end pieces 22 23 are provided near their corners with pins &5, adapted when the crate is expanded to engage sockets or recesses 46 in the ends of the foldable side 3 members, thereby serving to retain the latter in expanded position. The outer sides of the fold able side members are provided with sockets or recesses, as shown at 7 to receive the points of the said pins when the crate is collapsed or folded.

It will be noted that the receptacle is but partly collapsible, leaving the lower portion for the reception of the collapsed division members employed to support the eggs or other similar products, thus providing for the return shipment of these members as well as the inclosing casing. When employed to ship fruit and other products in baskets or other inclosures, the latter after being emptied will be nested and deposited in the lower stationary portion of the device and the upper porportion hinged to said lower portion and sepation collapsed over them.

hen the device is used as an egg-crate,

By this I collapsible cell-cases constructed in the usual manner of suitably-connected strips 37 and 38 will be employed as a filling, as shown in Fig.

3 of the drawings.

The interior area of the receptacle when expanded and collapsed will be so proportioned to a certain predetermined number of the collapsible cell-cases that when the latter are expanded and superimposed in the expanded receptacle they will completely fill it, and then when collapsed and arranged on their sides or edges they will completely fill the collapsed receptacle, as'shown in Fig. 4. By this means no waste room will occur in the receptacle either in the outward or return trip. The material employed will generally be pine or of other cheap soft woodand steel or other metal and will be as light as will be found consistent with the strains to which they will be subjected.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a receptacle, a lower portionformed with bottom, end and side members with the end members extending above the side members, binding-straps disposed between the ends of said side members and the adjacent portion of said end members and extending above the upper edges of the side members, the holding nails or screws between the side and end members passing through said straps, bindingstraps attached to the ends of said end members, extension members to said side members having end straps pivoted to the extensions of the end straps of said end members, and extensions to said end members having end straps extended at one end and pivoted to said end members through their end straps, whereby said side and end extensions are foldable inwardly to reduce the size of said receptacle and the parts firmly bound and sup- .ported.

2. In a receptacle, a lower portion formed with bottom, end and side members with the end members extending above the side members, binding-straps disposed between the ends of said side members and the adjacent portion of said end members and extending above the upper edges of the side members, the holding nails or screws between the side and end members passing through said straps, bindingstraps attached to the ends of said end members, extension members to said side members having end straps pivoted to the extensions of the end straps of said'end members and with sockets in said end straps and extending into said side extensions, and extensions to said end members hinged thereto and having pins for engagement with said sockets.

3. A receptacle formed of a lower portion having stationary end and side walls and with spaced sockets at the corners and an upper rable at the corners and foldable over the lower portion, a cover member for engagement with said foldable portion both when Folded and expanded and provided with resilient rods movably connected thereto and formed with bent ends for alternate engagement with said sockets.

4:. A receptacle formed of a lower portion having stationary end and side walls and with spaced sockets at the corners and an upper portion hinged to said lower portion and scparahle at the corners and foldablc over the lower portion, a cover member for engagement with said foldable portion both when folded and expanded and provided with depending cleats at the ends, rods of resilient material movably connected to said cover and having the ends bent for yieldable engagement with said sockets.

5. A receptacle formed of a lower portion having stationary end and side walls and with spaced sockets at the corners and an upper portion hinged to said lower portion and separable at the corners and foldable over the lower portion, a cover member for engagement with said foldable portion both when folded and expanded and provided with transverse channelsat the ends, rods of resilient material and connected for rotation in bearings at the ends of said channels with the rod curved laterally between the bearings and with the portions beyond the bearings bent for engagement with said sockets.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

S. A. Snws, W. H. HART. 

